Aaron Egan drowned in a bath after being left alone by his drug addict parents.

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DRUG addict Thomas Egan found his five-month-old son lying under water in a bath after leaving him alone.

But instead of pulling him out, Egan simply propped little Aaron up and left again.

The baby’s mother Chrystine Templeton, also an addict, was in another part of their flat, running a bath for her partner.

And as the “distracted” pair ignored their son, Aaron slipped under the water for a second time.

Hours later, he was pronounced dead in hospital.

The couple’s shocking negligence is detailed in a report released yesterday into Aaron’s death almost four years ago.

The report by former Central Scotland Police chief constable Andrew Cameron concludes Aaron should never have been allowed to stay with his parents after his birth.

Cameron sharply criticises that decision, taken by a joint committee of social work, NHS and police officials.

He also details a catalogue of further failures by social workers and other agencies, including a mistaken decision to remove Aaron from a child protection register.

And he says there were chances to save the baby – but they were missed.

Aaron's parents Thomas Egan and Chrystine Templeton

Aaron died on July 17, 2010, at his parents’ flat in Kilmarnock.

Cameron was drafted in by East Ayrshire Council to compile a significant case review into the tragedy.

In his report, he writes: “Both parents had intimated during interview that they had been bathing the baby in a portable bath in the living room while Chrystine Templeton was running a bath for Thomas Egan in the bathroom of the house.

“Egan had indicated that he was in a separate room and had become aware of the baby in distress in the portable bath with his arm trapped and, in effect, drowning.

“He entered the living room and righted the child and then left the room without a clear explanation.

“The father was fully aware that the mother was not in the living room with the baby when he left it. The parents claimed that they had left the baby alone in the bath and when they returned he was submerged and unconscious.”

The report added that a senior investigating police officer stated it was “clear to him that both parents were distracted”.

Cameron’s report went on: “The parents had admitted that they were in the habit of using the baby seat found in the baby bath to prop the baby up so that he could see the television in the living room, which also apparently prevented the baby from crying.”

The report concluded: “The stark reality is, however, that the parents did not care for the baby the way they should have that evening.

“They should not have left the baby alone in the bath.”

The child protection team, including social work, police and the NHS, are criticised in the report for not properly reporting concerns about Aaron’s care, not attending important meetings and failing to obtain access to the family home on dozens of occasions.

Cameron said there were “huge question marks hanging over the decision that was taken to discharge the baby into the care of the parents”.

His report added a decision to remove Aaron from a child protection register was taken “without the full facts”.

In the run-up to Aaron’s death, concerns were also raised about the relationship between the parents and recommendations were made for more resources on the case. But this didn’t happen, Cameron said.

He also raises concerns from a senior manager that “there were not enough social workers with relevant experience in the department” and that the worker leading the case, though fully qualified, was “inexperienced”.

Staff had also been “overly optimistic” about the parents’ ability to cope.

Egan and Templeton were charged with culpable homicide but the Crown Office later dropped the charges due to insufficient evidence.

Egan’s first child had also died in a bath accident in 1985.

East Ayrshire child protection committee chairman Susan Taylor said: “This review has been carefully considered by the agencies involved and there has been a determined effort to understand and learn important lessons from this incident. We are committed to working together to keep children safe from harm.”

SCANDAL OF TINY LIVES SNUFFED OUT

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The 23-month-old youngster suffered terrible injuries in the attack by Robert Cunningham. Cunningham was jailed in 2009 for 10 years at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of the appalling crime.

Campaigners insist the shocking case was another avoidable tragedy and social workers in Dundee were savaged by watchdogs.

Danielle Reid

Five-year-old Danielle was killed by her mum’s boyfriend Lee Gaytor in Inverness in 2003. He got life for murder and her mum Tracy Reid got eight years.

Carla-Nicole Bone

Carla-Nicole, 13 months, had her skull crushed by mum Andrea’s boyfriend in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Alex McClure got life in 2002. Bone got three years.

Caleb Ness

Caleb was shaken to death by dad Alexander in Edinburgh while his mother was picking up methadone. Ness killed Caleb in 2001 and was jailed for 11 years in 2003 for culpable homicide.

Dylan Lockerbie

Five-month-old Dylan was killed by his father Ian Metcalfe in Dumfries in 1996. Metcalfe had killed another son in 1988 but social work failings meant Dylan was not on the at-risk register.

Isabelle Cowley

Isabelle was four when her mum drowned her in a burn last year in the grounds of Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Rachel Cowley got five-and-a-half years.

Declan Hainey

Declan’s mummified corpse was found fused to his cot in a filthy Paisley flat in March 2010. He had last been seen alive when he was 15 months old.

His mother Kimberley was convicted of his murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

It was said she had left him alone without food or water while she went out drinking and taking drugs.

She was freed on appeal and has spoken out to admit failing to report his death but insisting she is no killer.

Social workers and health staff were later found to have failed the child.